Google Survey Reveals What Users Want From Mobile Sites

With its latest survey Google has affirmed that smartphone owners want sites to be optimized for their smaller screens and are inclined to abandon those that aren’t. There’s nothing especially revealing or controversial in these particular findings. What’s more interesting about the study Google is releasing this morning is the data about features and capabilities that people want from mobile sites, including some specific things by vertical.

Google used two independent research firms to survey more than 1,000 US adults, who also participated in focus group discussions and kept journals of their mobile activities. The interviews and survey took place in Q3 this year.

Bad Experiences Hurt the Brand

We know from considerable past research that mobile users don’t like to be frustrated by sites and user experiences that aren’t optimized for mobile. Google’s survey findings reinforce this:

72 percent of users said that mobile-friendly sites were important to them; however 96 percent had encountered sites that were not

74 percent of respondents said they’re more likely to revisit mobile-friendly sites

A majority of users (67 percent) are more likely to buy or convert after a visit to a mobile-friendly site, while the opposite is also true of a non-mobile-friendly site: 61 percent say they’ll “move on”

55 percent said a frustrating experience on a (mobile) website would hurt the perception of the brand

What Users Want from Mobile Sites

Users expect mobile websites to load in under five seconds according to the survey findings. However even five seconds is a long time. The general proposition is: the faster the better.

The survey also found that smartphone owners want the ability to take action when on a mobile website. The preceding chart shows the hierarchy of actions that mobile users consider to be important. It’s interesting that 53 percent said “download an app.” There are several things implied by this answer, but it suggests high demand for apps overall.

The following graphic drills down on specific design and usability elements that people want from mobile sites.

Tasks Vary by Vertical

The survey explores several verticals and corresponding mobile user behaviors in Banking, Travel, Retail and Automotive. Below are the “most important tasks” users want to be able to perform or accomplish on mobile websites in each category according to the survey.

Banking & Finance:

Check account balances: 77 percent

Get directions or operating hours: 65 percent

Log into an account: 61 percent

Pay bills: 51 percent

Transfer money: 51 percent

Travel:

Check flight status: 78 percent

Get directions or operating hours: 74 percent

Check in for a flight or confirm a reservation: 69 percent

Find a business location: 65 percent

Log in to an account: 64 percent

Search for flight times, hotels, car rentals: 63 percent

Find a phone number or email address: 57 percent

Retail:

Get directions or operating hours: 74 percent

Contact the store: 64 percent

Find product information: 61 percent

Make a purchase or order a service: 50 percent

Automotive:

Get directions or operating hours: 66 percent

Contact a dealer: 62 percent

Make a service appointment: 55 percent

There were also a number of activities that users were less inclined to perform on mobile devices in each of these categories. However, what this study makes clear is that mobile user sophistication is growing quickly and expectations of mobile sites are also rising. As the survey indicates, marketers and brands that fail to keep pace with those expectations will suffer accordingly.

Google is hosting a free webinar tomorrow at 1pm EST/10 am PST for those interested in hearing more results as well as case studies.

About The Author

Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog, Screenwerk, about connecting the dots between digital media and real-world consumer behavior. He is also VP of Strategy and Insights for the Local Search Association. Follow him on Twitter or find him at Google+.